WO1994029168A1

WO1994029168A1 - Rigging comprising a sail with no mast and hydropter fitted with such rigging

Info

Publication number: WO1994029168A1
Application number: PCT/FR1993/000584
Authority: WO
Inventors: Louis Rivieccio
Original assignee: Louis Rivieccio
Priority date: 1992-04-21
Filing date: 1993-06-16
Publication date: 1994-12-22

Abstract

The rigging, which is supported by a structure (hull (1) or frame), includes a sail (16), with its lower edge (18) stretched along a horizontal beam (10) pivotally mounted in relation to the structure. The rigging is not fitted with a mast to support the sail and the beam (10) is rigidly fastened to said structure (1). The upper part of the sail (16) comprises one or several cells (24a-d) including lighter than air gas inlet means and gas outlet means. The rigging is suitable for both land and water crafts.

Description

Rigging comprising a wing not supported by a mast and ydroptère provided with such a rigging.

The present invention relates to a qréement supported by a structure, such as a hull or chassis, and comprising a blade whose lower edge is stretched along a horizontal rudder mounted to pivot relative to said structure. Such a qréement is suitable for enqins moving on water or on land, such as various boats, sand yachts, etc. The invention also relates more specifically to the application of the proposed rigging to a hydrofoil.

We know from FR-A-2,569,159 a wind propulsion device in which the airfoil 3 (FIG. 2) comprises a frame (2) formed by a vertical mast and a horizontal crosspiece (page 1, line 21), without rigid mooring of the resulting structure (page 1, lines 17-18) on the vehicle fitted with it.

The present invention provides a different qréement of this known rigging in the sense that it does not have a mast for the wing support and in that the lifter is rigidly moored on the structure supporting the rigging.

It has certainly been proposed prior to the invention to provide a machine with a sail not supported by a mast, but it is a kind of parachute sail and the lower edge of which is tightened over a relatively small width. The tests were not conclusive, such a sail due to its configuration having a useful effect only in particular conditions of relative wind.

The rigid mooring of the spreader in the structure supporting the qrement allows the wing to be curved, which it is not possible to do in the case of FR-A-2,569,159.

The lifter of the rigging according to the invention is adapted to pivot substantially over 360 ° around a pivot which is central to it, its position relative to the structure supporting the qrement can thus be such that the wing is oriented to the right, to the left, or in the axis of said structure.

In this way, it is possible to orient the blade according to the needs, said blade being effective in all gears where the road goes upwind, from the "closest good full" to "the closest tight".

The airfoil has pulling points to which tension sheets are fixed and, preferably, the mutual spacing between said sheets is maintained by means offered by said lifter.

In practice, the lifter is hollow and the means which it offers, to said tension sheets, for maintaining their mutual spacing, are accesses distributed over its lengthwise, which accesses make it possible to group inside said lifter towards a common exit, the ends of the sheets opposite their point of pull on the wing.

In a preferred embodiment, the upper part of said wing is associated with one or more chambers comprising means for admitting a gas lighter than air and means for exhausting said gas.

The gas used can for example be helium.

These chambers, when they are in service, that is to say inflated, pull the whole of the airfoil upwards and this arrangement guarantees that the airfoil always remains above the hull or the water, when the equipped vehicle is a boat, or always remains above the chassis or the ground, when the equipped vehicle is a land vehicle. In one possible embodiment, the said chamber or chambers form an integral part of the airfoil. As a variant, the said chamber or chambers can be attached to the wing.

The invention is particularly applicable to boats of the hydrofoil type, in particular to those having a hull carried, at the front, by a rostrum and at the rear by two lateral fins. In this case, the pivot of the lifter is advantageously located substantially in the axis of said ailerons, although other positions can be studied.

The invention is described below with reference to the single plate of the accompanying drawing which shows, in perspective, a hydrofoil equipped with the rigging according to the invention.

We know that a hydrofoil is a boat capable, from a certain speed, of navigating in the planed position.

Unlike known hydrofoils, however, which are only propelled using turbines, the hydrofoil according to the invention uses propulsion turbines only for navigation in shallow waters. In other words, the hydrofoil according to the invention has the originality of being powered by wind. Details on the two modes of propulsion will be given later.

As can be seen, the hydrofoil consists of a hull 1 supported at the front by a rostrum 2 and, at the rear, by two lateral fins 3a, b. The free end of the rostrum 2 and the fins 3a, b is provided with a rocket 4 equipped, on the trailing edge side, with a hydrojet 5, laterally with two depth control fins 6a, b and axially with a fin. 25 forming qouvernail.

The fins 6a, b are used to correct the attitude of the hydrofoil, in heeling correction, or to regulate the overflight of the hydrofoil above the surface of the water relative to the state of the sea. rostrum 2 and the fins 3a, b are orientable so as to have the minimum draft for maneuvers in shallow water.

A cockpit 7 is provided in the cogue 1.

The shape of the shell 1 is chosen according to the use. It can be very tapered for models speed or competition onoplaces. It can alternatively be fitted out for yachting or for crews of several members, with cabin or not. The structure described so far is known. According to the invention, the shell 1 offers, in the axis of the ailerons 3a, b, a pivot point 8 to a base 9 secured to a cross-bar 10 horizontal. This base is received in a well provided in the shell and a physical connection exists between said base 9 and said well. The lifter 10 does not pivot freely: its rotation is ensured by a rack, itself actuated by an electric motor. It is thus oriented, and maintained in the desired orientation, by the pilot by means of a remote control.

The lifter 10 is hollow and it offers access passages 11 to 15 to tension sheets fixed to pulling points provided on a wing 16. More specifically, the passage 11 receives three sheets 17a, 17c, 17b fixed to pull points provided on the lateral edge of the blade, respectively at 27 on its lower edge 18, at 28 on its upper edge 19 and at an intermediate level at 20. Similarly, the passage 12 receives three sheets 21a, 21c, 21b fixed to pulling points provided on a line parallel to the lateral edge of the blade, respectively at 22 on its lower edge 18, at 23 on its upper edge 19 and at an intermediate level at 24. The same applies to other passages 13 to 15. The ends of sheets 17a-c, 21a-c, etc. emerge from the lifter 10 towards the cockpit 7.

Inside the spreader 10, the sheets 17a-c, 21a-c, etc. are tensioned on pulleys to ensure the highest maneuverability. Chague listening is connected to an electrical winch. All winches are remotely controlled from the cockpit. Preferably, the remote control takes the form of movable joysticks whose relative position visually determines a curve, which curve directly reflects the corresponding curvature of the wing. Thus, by moving the joysticks, the pilot can act instantly and easily on the main curvature that he wants to give to his wing, then perfect the joystick by joystick adjustment, if necessary, to obtain the greatest propulsion efficiency.

The servo-control for the rotation of the lifter 10 is remote-controlled from the cockpit. It is directly related to the direction of the wind and the course followed by the boat, since according to the position of the spreader will be defined the curvature of the wing, which must correspond to the pace.

At its upper part, the wing 16 comprises chambers 24a-d provided with intake and exhaust means for a gas lighter than air controlled from the cockpit. The chambers 24a-c are of course connected, for admission, to a reserve of gas contained in the hull and the exhaust takes place in the atmosphere.

The inclination, that is to say the angle formed by sheets 17a-c, 21a-c, etc. with the deck 26 of the boat, is a function of the force of the wind, compensated by the more or less intense inflation of the chambers 24a-d.

The airfoil 16 shown is rectangular, but this shape is not imperative. It is possible to consider other shapes, such as triangular or square, or even in a spinnaker. The sail can be fitted with stiffening slats.

In navigation in shallow waters, the turbines of hydrojets 5 allow the propulsion of the boat and the energy is supplied by a generator located in the extreme rear part of the hull.

In wind powered navigation, the turbines operate as generators and are used to charge accumulator batteries which provide the energy necessary for the operation of the winches and, in a way general, to all remote controls.

All the rocket, turbine, generator, elevator, and vertical control servos, as well as the air chamber inflation, are remotely controlled from the cockpit by joysticks or by the helm, for rudders.

Finally, almost all servos can be automated and integrated into a coordination center which, from a simple modification of the route by the helm, will, depending on the wind direction, then from the heel other maneuvers including overflight height.

Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to a hydrofoil, the invention may have other applications:

- on sand yachts, moving on three wheels, on the ground;

- on beaches, such as windsurfing boards;

- on all pleasure craft powered by wind;

- on large couriers built for large sailing events, and especially for multicogs;

- on large ocean liners and up to large tankers and other giant oil tankers: contrary to the disappointing attempts which have been made to provide such vessels with conventional quality, the rigging according to the invention is very promising in this application, by its performance considerably increased due to the absence of a mast and the possibility of reaching unprecedented sail areas. This application would be especially appreciated in terms of energy savings and in terms of its non-polluting nature.

Claims

1 - Rigging supported by a structure (1) and comprising a wing (16), the lower edge (18) of which is stretched along a horizontal lifter (10) pivotally mounted relative to said structure, characterized in that the rigging is devoid of mast for the support of the wing and in that the lifter (10) is rigidly moored on said structure (1).

2 - Rigging according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifter is adapted to pivot substantially on

360 ° around a pivot which is central to it (9).

3 - Rigging according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the airfoil (16) has pull points (27,20,28; 22,24,23) to which are fixed tension sheets (17a-c, 21a -c) whose mutual spacing is maintained by means (11-15) offered by said spreader (10).

4 - Rigging according to claim 3, characterized in that said spreader (10) is hollow and in that it offers, to said tension sheets (17a-c, 21a-c), accesses (11-15) distributed over its length, which accesses allow the ends of the sheets opposite their point of pull on the wing to be grouped together inside said lifter towards a common outlet.

5 - Rigging according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the upper part of said wing (16) is associated with one or more chambers (24a-d) comprising means for admitting a gas more lighter than air and means for exhausting said gas.

6 - Rigging according to claim 5, characterized in that the or said chambers (24a-d) are an integral part of the wing.

7 - Rigging according to claim 5, characterized in that the or said chambers are attached to the wing. 8 - Hydrofoil equipped with the rigging according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9 - Hydrofoil according to claim 8, having a hull (1) carried, at the front, by a rostrum (2) and at the rear by two lateral fins (3a, b), characterized in that the pivot (8 ) of the lifter (10) is substantially in the axis of said fins.